How did Trump’s plane switch amid Iran threats in Turkey work?

Administration How did Trump’s plane switch amid Iran threats in Turkey work? Comments: by Jordan Perkins - 08/11/26 12:55 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Jordan Perkins - 08/11/26 12:55 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump was secretly slipped away from Air Force One and taken to another plane after a threat from Iran, according to a recent report.

The report states Trump could be seen boarding Air Force One publicly but was covertly transferred to another jet. The maneuver was pulled off with a food truck and a second military plane set to protect him from any possible assassination attempt.

“As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats,” White House communications director Steven Cheung told Nexstar’s NewsNation on Monday.

What happened during the switch?

Trump was leaving the NATO summit in July when military officials received the threat. He boarded the older Air Force One plane, which made it look like he was on board with reporters and other White House staff.

The president was actually secretly shuttled via a catering truck used to stock the plane’s food and supplies to a smaller military plane. From there, Trump managed to get back on Air Force One after it landed and was seen getting off the plane in the United Kingdom.

From there, he boarded the Qatari-gifted Air Force One plane to travel back to the United States.

Trump spoke to reporters afterwards about the threat, saying he was Iran’s “number one target.”

A catering truck is visible parked on the opposite side of Air Force One on the tarmac after U.S. President Donald Trump boarded the plane following the NATO summit at Ankara International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Catering trucks are parked at Air Force One on the tarmac as the motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump arrives on the tarmac to depart following the NATO summit at Ankara International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Air Force One sits on the tarmac as President Donald Trump switches planes at U.S. Air Force Base, RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk Eastern England, on his way back to Washington from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey ,Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
FILE – A catering truck is parked at Air Force One on the tarmac as the motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to depart following the NATO summit at Ankara International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
A catering truck is parked at Air Force One on the tarmac as the motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump arrives on the tarmac to depart following the NATO summit at Ankara International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

He previously announced he was going to fly back on an older Air Force One model and not the newer one. At the time, he said he wanted to show off the new one to the soldiers stationed in the U.K.

When did the switch take place?

The switch happened just a day after the U.S. announced it would be resuming strikes on Iran and that any initial deal they had set was “over.”

A representative from the U.S. Air Force said Air Force One is safe, secure and equipped with the technology necessary to meet the president’s requirements.

“No risk was taken in security, safety or mission communications, but the collective team made trades on some of the less commonly used mission sets that Boeing must deliver to support the next 40 years,” officials said.

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